1. Introduction
2. Four Beliefs
3. Advocacy
4. Control Over Your Own Life
5. Person Centred Plans
6. Support for Your Parents and Carers
7. Good Health
8. Choosing Where and How You Live
9. Living a Full Life
   
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1. Introduction

This is a really useful guide to the Government’s White Paper on how to get services right for all people with learning disabilities.

"These are the plans from the Government for improving the lives of all people with learning disabilities".

In the past people with a learning disability have not been allowed the same chances as everyone else has in life. For too long too many people have been unable to make their own choices. Or have not had enough support to make their own choices. There has been a lack of opportunities.

The Government introduced the White Paper because it wants to change things for people with learning disabilities, so that you have the same chances as everyone else, to lead a full and interesting life and be respected.

2. Four beliefs

The Government’s White Paper is based on four main beliefs. One; Rights. Two; Independence . Three; Choice. Four; Being Included.

One: Having Legal and Civil Rights. This means,

“People with learning disabilities are citizens too!”

Two: Supporting Independence . This means,

“All this can be done by believing that people with learning disabilities can move on and be independent.”

Three: Having More Choice. This means,

“People with learning disabilities have been saying for a long time that we can speak up for ourselves.”

Four: Being Included. This means,

“People with learning disabilities can live just as good a life!”

3. Advocacy

“You should be proud of who you are!”

The Government full supports all kinds of advocacy, such as advocacy when you speak for yourself. Or citizen advocacy.

Citizen advocacy is:

• When a friend who you trust speaks for you

• Or someone enables you to look at your life and understand it

• Or an ally supports you during difficult periods in your life

• Or somebody who speaks up for you to help you say what you want

We also want to help more people get Direct Payments. Direct Payments mean that you can make more independent choices about the services you receive. For more information on Direct Payments, please listen to our Direct Payments CD either using the listening point or a CD at home.

The White Paper will look at all the services and barriers you come up against in all parts of your lives.

We think it is time you had better trained staff and that everyone should be working together to provide a better service.

You know best about your lives and we agree with people that say that there should be:

“Nothing About Us Without Us!” “Nothing About Us Without Us!” “Nothing About Us Without Us!”

4. Control

“We should have as much choice and control as possible over our own lives – and over the services and support we receive.”

The Government plans to do three main things: to do with The Disability Rights Commission; to do with Independent Advocacy; and to do with Direct Payments.

The Disability Rights Commission will be important in helping people with their rights under a law called The Disability Discrimination Act.

The Government will spend more money on independent advocacy. We will also work with a movement of people who are advocates who speak for themselves. We will also pay special attention to advocacy for people from minority ethnic communities, such as African Caribbean or Asian people.

Direct Payments will be easier to get. If you ask for a Direct Payment and meet the rules, Adult Services must help you. Advocates will help this happen.

5. Person Centred plans

Services should be based on your wishes and ideas and that planning should start with you.

Services will start to use a Person Centred Planning approach. There will be training to help everyone do it properly. We also expect to see fairer access to services across the country.

People with learning disabilities should be fully involved in all decisions and services that make a difference to them. Organisations and services will also include people with learning disabilities in making decisions. We will check that this is happening.

For more interesting information about the new Person Centred Planning and how it affects you, please listen to the Person Centred Planning CD.

6. Support for parents and carers

“My parents and carers are important. Family carers should get more support if you still live at home.”

Family carers can get assessments of their own needs. Short-term breaks from caring will be better. The health needs of carers should also be looked after.

All services should be working together with carers and not seeing them as problems. Carers will be able to look at how these changes are working.

Lots of family carers are getting older and this causes worry to everyone. Local areas need to find out who the older carers are.

You told us that not enough has been done about language and culture. Carers from minority ethnic communities must have their needs met.

It is wrong to say that some people with learning disabilities cannot use services because you are too difficult or have problems with your behaviour. This is especially true if you are then stuck at home without help. Other, more suitable services should be arranged.

A new National Learning Disability Helpline has been set up. The Helpline provides advice on the services and help people with learning disabilities need. The Helpline will also put carers in touch with all kinds of help to support them in caring. You or your carer can phone the Helpline free of charge, 24 hours a day. Phone 0808 808 1111. That’s 0808 808 111. If an advisor cannot answer you straight away, please leave a message with your phone number so they can phone you back.

7. Good Health

“We do not get equal health treatment or good health services.”

We want to make sure this does not happen in the future. We want to tackle the problems so that you can have better health.

You should be able to get fast and good health care with support when you need it, no matter how old you are.

You should be able to get the same health services that are available to everyone else with expert care when you need it.

You should get the health checks that you need.

People from minority ethnic communities must also be able to get equal health care with all your cultural needs met.

Everyone with a learning disability should be on a doctor’s list. There will be support from a health facilitator if you want it.

There should be more help with healthy eating, being overweight and getting enough exercise.

We need to make sure carers know enough about healthy ways of living.

You should be getting a healthy diet when you’re using services.

We need to make sure you are well informed about health care issues.

You should be able to get support about leading a healthy life and having your health needs met.

We want everyone to have their own Personal Health Action Plan. You will be able to keep this with you.

Consent to treatment will be made clearer to people with learning disabilities.

8. Choosing where and how to live

“We want to have more choice and control over where and how we live.”

Most people with learning disabilities live with their families and then need to move into different housing when there is an emergency. We want to see much more planning ahead. There should be lots of different housing choices available, including:

• Supported Living
• Small-scale ordinary housing
• Village communities

Your choices should be the same as other people’s and should include ordinary housing, becoming tenants and owning your own home.

Everyone will work together to give you a bigger choice of care and support by using Person Centred Planning and perhaps Direct Payments.

You should be able to get good advice on your choices.

Information should be accessible and easy to understand.

Your local housing service will help you in getting housing.

We do not think it is right for people to live in hospitals. We want everyone now living in hospitals to move into better housing.

9. Living a full life

“ We want to live independently with support to make friendships. We want the same opportunity as everyone else.”

We know lots of people go to Day Centres that look after people during the day but don’t help people take part in the community or spend time on meaningful activities. This has been particularly bad for people with lots of needs and from minority ethnic communities.

You should have a real choice over how you spend your day.

There will be a new ‘Lifestyle Support’ service that will help modernise Day Services. This will help you to do more. It will support work and help with community involvement. This will mean that traditional Day Services are going to change and close.

“Many of us have not been able to get jobs. But we know that getting a job helps with money and feeling good about yourself.”

People with learning disabilities have not often been able to get jobs. But we know that getting a job helps with money, relationships and feeling good about yourself.

Many people with learning disabilities want paid work and we want to support as many people as possible in all sorts of work so you can make the most of your talents and potential.

To get a job that lasts you need good support and information, including using computers and new ways of getting information.

Education will work with Day Services to make things better. You will be able to get the right support to make good decisions and to be successful in education and training.

You will have new rights in education from Disability Rights Legislation.

Lots of people with learning disabilities have few friends and are lonely.

Help will be available to join in your local community and make friends. This might be in paid or voluntary work, joining local clubs, taking part in local activities, having a relationship with friends or a partner, marrying, voting, having a flat or home, and living with the people you choose.

People with learning disabilities have the same rights to all these things as everyone else and may need extra support with sex education and contraception.

We know that people with learning disabilities can be good parents but may need support to do so. Children and adult social service teams need to work closely together to help you.

We think leisure is important and should be included in plans. Your views about leisure services need to be heard when planning service.

Some people wanted to travel by themselves when possible. Transport staff need to make sure they help.

There are other plans that will help with transport such as better training for staff and local plans that will include your needs. A new Law will stop discrimination against people with learning disabilities when using public transport.

Many people with learning disabilities rely on benefits for their income but the system is complicated and many people have problems in using it. There will be help for you to get better access to benefits.

We will make sure there is more security and support for those who are not able to work. We will provide money to help with the extra costs of disability.

There are other changes on the way such as better advice and information.

If you need any further help with anything this CD has explained, please ask a member of staff or advocate who will enable you to get further information.